klopsteg



P. E. KLOPSTEG.

GALVANOMETE'R CHRONOSCOPE.

APPLICATION FILED 'MT. 4. 1917.

1,323,477. Patented Dec. 2,1919.

YY/TNESSES NVE/VTOE '56 w /%0/ fflapsfey BY 11/5 ATTOE/YEKS UNITEDSTATES "P TENT onnion.

PAUL E. KJZOTPSEEG; o1? MINNEABoLIs, MINNESOTA.

eaeLifAnofiiiTfE'ii-oHRoNosco 'E.

- Z '0 all whom it concemv:

Be it knownthat I, PAU1 -E.-KIJPSTEG,- :1 citizen of the UnitedStet-'esresiding at Minneapolis, in tlie'connty oeilennepm and 2, Stateof Minnesota, have-invented certain inew' and useful I-inprovemente='mGit-Iva- J1onietev-Chronoscopeeg and db -1ie1-eby de-* 1-1 are the foile'win' j to: be a; full" cleait and exact description f of; theinvention, such as will enable otlfei s' skilled in the art; to whieh'it nm ertains to make and use the smnez The invention relates to it'lpm amus' fer ineasni ingjehort timeintezivztleg pantienlenly inco'imection' with? fjsy hologicalg" physiolog f im-l and .vphys'ictvlbests? otfl dfiloflstittidfis z'tndhats for itsobjeeote pmvide erelatively simpieg highl y 'eificienfi'andyinexnensive an pzn' at'nscapable ofmeasuring ve i'y' sffielll time intervals with eXceediIYgQi'C'-ELII'EO VP Be this end the inventien aompri 'ses"mneleetei calsystem,iwhiet invblyee zigdflfi sonvdil galvan'om'ejter; on the; scifleofi which the I time! infiefYal'sbeing meigUi-gd areudii eetly in'di-cated-, which electficfl' system: ie armfiged with means forcontrelling end edjnstihgfiie" operative currenflin the ga1vmomete1,,andfor calibrating and GUI iGCiQ'IIIQ- thM noineter indications-so bhat thelettenywilh: correctly l'epl es'fill'f timeelements: Ba l-i bin-tingneal is 1heli'ld a? fell apperatumfl adapted to be 'intenpohited inthe'gzthflfitifii eter circuit), so thatthefhiliiig eie'iiieifi fi-isfiflbreaks a shunt circuit tethegzflthnometer, i which causes the lattei tobegin i-t operdthve HOVBIIIBIFIB, and subsequefiflybieake themanecircuit', thereby limiting thempeiative move in ent of thega'lvanometev; so: tliaitf then ex tent of such galvanonieter'movein'eiibwv-ill" correspond to: the time intewaltbetwee n thesuccessive breaking of the twO dll cul-t' by the fall device: 'lheisai'd- 'fitll' -appammeie adjustable to" var the di's'tehio'e" thronghywhich the falling; elementfltheieof movee; sd

that the exact; time Whieh elejp ses beoweem the 'Br'eaking of the-fleetand second circtrits by the fall element cambedetennined; di'-'- i'ectlyfrom an appropriate" Sadie-associated Y with the fall' appai'atus, andthwgalVeHOme' tei' scale may be'-gmduated:a1 1d' calibrated" for directindications of: time m'tei vzilsa In the accompanying d iawingsgesimple" form of the invention isdfiustxated:

Figurel is: a: diagrammatic o'f 'then apparatuses applied to'thetakingsof reaidtion= time measurements as in psychologicaltBStSi-Specificationof Letters iatent.

, fatten-meow. 2,1919.

fn ncation; filed ()ctoqer', 191 7; serieimy, 194,781.

Fig; 2 is' zvpeislpective view of the fell apparatus.

Fig.- 3 is'- aperspective View of a suitable galvanoifleter employedinconnection with the apparatus;

- Referring to Fig. I of the din-wings, the ninhfal'aQWindiiit 2i"'souroe of current, pi'fei'lbly'ztn electrical; battery,- the terminwiof Which-are?Connected by means of 1evd29 2 9 to tlie r'espective endsofen adjuetatle': 'refititne? 28 with which 0061')- ificeiqieliitedeithence-d 29* from battery 27; The lead 31 ifi cohhected-tb onetern ineief a double m ow-double pole switch 14, which cdeperatee withtwoactive-contacts 14 and 14* on ='ane-' side 1 me a singleactivecontact ar-Wiiie-33eXt'ends' to '1 spring Contact 10,whiehfierhbnntd-ngom :tsiiitable' baseboard and'coiistittites-oiie'ofth'e elements of a; cii' edit clos'ei' oi sw itc'h nss'obiat'ed withthefali apparatiisw Pivot ally mounted 'on' the "stud 8-'is a switch='lever 7' havingits shorter end rovided Witha nose-like rojection 11-,in contact with the -spring- 10; and ha vin its longr erm extended toengage" afixed contadt'Qg WhidIi iI'rturn is connected by lead 3 Wifiiione terminai' offzt gztlvzuioineteij 12, which letter'is'connectedby-means of a lead 'With oneend of'the' resistance element 528', said"lead 35 including a high resistance c0'iI'36i As indi' catedthe/gahffinometer employed is preferably-of the-dfitsonvztl type, whichleads 35 38 21Hd-39'Wii7h the interpolatedmagnet core sections and thearmature member, which constitutes the fall element of the fallapparatus, form a shunt about'the galvanon'ieter 12.

The fall apparatus, as shown,"comprises a suitable standard 3 of squarecross section on which is adjustably-supported, by means of a set screw45, an electromagnet t provided with a divided core 5, separated by aninsulating strip passing ,lQngitudinalIy through the same, the lower endof which core projects beyond the face of the magnet and constitutes apole piece .to sup ort and hold a ball 6 of iron or other suita lemagnetic mater-ial'when the magnet is energized, said ball 6 alsoconstituting bridge piece or circuit closer between the; sectionsof the,,divided core, and thereby; completing. the:

circuit between leads 38 and 39, fand'breake ingthe circuit; betweensaid ,-leads and,

thereby interrupting-the.shuntabout the galvanometer- 12-wl1en-;the;ball'6'-is j released a and drops-awayfrom the cored qThemagin the path-0f. the ball'6 when the latter'isu low the core 5 of themagnet 4 and therefore released. Below the switch 7 there is mounted asuitable basket;.431aclapted.to catch and retainthe ball dafter-thesamehas been released and falls fronrits engage- :ment; with thecoreofmagnet 4;

In operating the systemjas thus described, the switch '14 is turnedto-close the circuits at contacts l P-ajnd 1A and switch 7 .of the;

fall device is moved intor engagement with the fixed contact 9, whereit'is held by sprinow" 10. The circuit through magnets is clos'ec atswitch 26 and the ball 6 is applied to :the end of the magnet core 5,thereby bridging battery 27, upon the galvanometer. The

switch 26 controlling th'e circuit which ener gizes the electromagnet 4,is opened, thereby] denergizing said magnet and, permitting the ball 6to fall away from the core-5, the first effect of which is to breaktheshunt around the galvanometer 12, formed by leads 35 switch contactll lead 38, divided core 5 of the magnet 4, ball 6 which, bridged saiddivided core,-lead 39 and lead 34. The.

breaking of said shunt causes! the whole current to pass through thegalvanometer and the movable coil-thereof immediately begins to swing,and, as the swinging motion is relativel slow the extent of movement ofthe coil may be accurately determined on the scale 13, by means of thetelescope attached to the galvanometer, as will be understood by thoscfamiliar with instruments of this type. As the ball approaches the lowerlimit of its movement, it strikes lever 7 and swings the same on itspivot 8 so as to cause the end thereof to move out of contact with post9, which breaks the main circuit, from battery 27, leads 29' and 31,switch contact 14*, lead 33, spring contact 10, switch arm 7, contact 9,lead 34, fixed coil of the gal-- vanometer 12, leads 35 and 29, back tothe battery 27. The breaking of the main circuit immediately stops theflow of current through the galvanometer coil and the eX- tent ofmovement or throw of the galvanometer coil will correspond exactly withthe quantity of electricity flowing-through the galvanometer. 1 H

.Any. quantity of electricity of sufficient. magnitudewhen dischargedthrough'a gal vanometer of the typeindicated, produces a throw or swingof a coil through a certain angle, whence the coilimmediately begins itsreturn toward its position of rest, whi'ch latter position is maintainedwithout overthrow because of the dead beat charactergof the instrument.The throw or angle of swing is a function of the total quantity ofelectricity which has passed through the galvanometer. This quantity is-expressed' algebraically as QztXI, in

which Q, is the quantity. I the current intensity Or, rate and t thetime interval. When the rate at which the quantity passes is constant,in other words, when the cur rent is unchanging in strength during theinterval in which it flows, the quantity of electricity is calculablefrom the observed angle of throw. This fact has been made the basis forthe measurement of time intervals as long as five seconds and more. withan accuracy of a few thousandths of a second. Applying this rule to theapparatus of the present invention, it therefore follows.thatthe throwof the galvanometer coil, indicated by the extreme limit of movement ofthe beam of light. will indicate the time interval of the current flowthrough the galva'nometer, whereby by varying the time intervals byadjusting the magnet 4 on the standard 3 to regulate the distancethroughwhich the ball 6 falls before striking the switch lever 7, the currentrate I; being constant, the various throws or swmging movements of thegalvanometer 7 coil indicated on the scale will be connnexr surate withthe corresponding time intervals indicated by the fall device, so vthatthe galvanometer scale maybe directly calibrated to indicate timeintervals' hen the time interval to be measured isshort, say in theorder of one-thirtieth of the time required by the coil to execute onecomplete vibration, the. throw. is, "for practical purposes, directly.proportionalwto the quantity-,1 and: therefore, with, a given;currentstrcngth, to the time intervals. lt -tlius becomes. pos-. sibleto-employa galvanometerscale to indicate-time intervals; directly, withany (lee. sired range up to half the time occupied by onecompletevibration of the coil.v Forvery short-intervals, correspondingto those of reaction time for example, the. galvar nometer scale willbclone of equals divisions.

The. standard; 3. is; graduatedfby. a suitable scale. to represent.different, time; intervals and theretoreto accurately indicate the time.

required. for: ther-ballzto. fall: from. any ad- }usted position ot themagnet 4 and break the main circuit at switchnarin It will be.apparent,-therefore, that by adjustingthe;

magnet to variousp'ositions along the stands itld33tS0 that; the ballfiiwill: fall through various; predetermined. distances, the .ree

ings. oi:- the igalvanometeri- 12 may be ac.-'

curately calibrated and: adjusted to repne sen-t time; intervals.corresponding; exactlyv to:- the time .1 intervals :of i an; of 1thebal-ll afo'negsaidd. Itswill iail'soibe apparent that the igalvanometer may. be:.adjustedl and-calibrated for time readings; so thatthe apparatus may be employed as a measurin'gidevicezfor im'- dicatingshort; time. intervals produced by various-agenciesybut thetfalldevice is-never;

theless imaintained'i in its: propei- -nelation t6 the other parts oftheapparatus so that the galvanometerrmay be checked flup from time to timeand any reading thereof may 7 lieverified by operating the time deviceand adjusting the distancez-thmugl-iwhichtheball falls untilg the givenreadingotthdgalvanometer is reproduced, the correspondingti'me element.indicated-"by the fall device than giving the-correct time interval indicated byithe ga1vanometer-reading-. 1

The apparatus as; shown in 1 3g: 1 is particularly-adapted topsychological; reaction time measurements and; to effect this purpose,there is' connected to one side of the apparatus, a circuit including aso-called electric soundhammer, which includes an electromagnet 18energized by a battery 21 throughleads22,including a switch 23.Cooperating with the electromagnet 18 is a pivotedarmature 17 carrying ahammer 16 at its end which isadapted to engage an ant vil 15 when themagnet; 18' is energized;

Said-armature also carries a movable' contact 19 adapted to dip into amercury cup 20 when the magnet is energized. Alead 40 is connected withterminal l t" of the double} throw switch 14 and in said lead isinterpolated a make and break switch 41. The other end of saidlead-isconnected to the mercury contact cup 20 andthe circuit is completed bymeans o'f'a leadei? connected at one end to the conductor armature 17'and p at the other end-tothe lead-34L, which is connected to. thegalvanonleter 12-, as hcreinbefore described.

Inapplying. the apparatus as. thus con: stituted, the switch 23 whichcontrols; electromagnet l8z is. opened and-the double throw switch-.14:is; turned torits'; lowerposi.-. tion. so that. its; right; hand-blade.engages terminal 14?. The. subject whose reaction timeisto.- bedetermined holds his finger on key; i41 readytotbreak the, galvanometcncircuitithrough le'adAQas. soon. as he hears.v

resistance 28; moivablee'contact ,32; leadl I 31,-

right handl bladeiot switchflgcontact-14$, lead eflgi-keyc lieinercurycontact 20; 'ar-ma-i ture-e contaet 'v 19;: armature 1 7 1ead42', lead.3 i'dzhi'oughsthei galvamometer thence lby lead' 35'i throi1'ghresistance 36'; lead 29; back: tobattepyizfi 5 The closing; otth'eigalvanome eteu circuit causes. a. deflection of: theinelement-0ftsaidigalvanometer; and the: movable coil: thereof'wiltswing throughaux-arc which-will'gbeiietermined by? the time;

that thecircuit through the galvanometer-is closed: -This timewill'bei-detenmined by the reactive factor of' the subject who. manipu lateskey- 41 that; isi'to say, the-indication of the 'galvanometer on itsscale will correspond tothe time-e1ement between the click produced bythe engagement of thef hammerl6 with the anvil l5 and the ,breakingiofthe circuit through the galvanometer by the subject who; operates key.41. InasmuQh as the galvanom'et'erhas been adjusted on cali brated meansof the fall apparatus, the extent" of-the deflection indicated by thegal vanometer can. be read directly as the time interval which elapsesbetween the closing ofthe galvanometercircuit at contacts 1.9, 20 and;the breaking of the galvanometer circuit by the subj act atkey 41 siredito check up the time interval indicated, the 'switchlA is-throw-n to itsopposite positionto-include the fall apparatus-in the circuit of the;apparatus and the saidfallapparatus is so adj usted jand manipula-teduntil the'ball falling through apre- If 'it is dedetermined distanceand operating switch 7 will-reproduce the same'deflection or'indicationat the galvanometer, and by reading thejtimeof'fallofithe ball on thestandard 3 of the fall apparatus, the psychological reaction time of thesubject asindicatedjby the galvanometer will be checked and verifled;

It will be understood that the time scale of the fall apparatus isgraduated to indicate time in accordance with the law of falling bodies.

From the foregoing description, it i will beapparant that the flow ofcu'rrent through the-.-ga lvanometer iea'chiinstance is deter-- minedand calculated by reference .to i the tinielrequired i'or theballwtofall from its position of rest, in engagement with the endof the core-:5of: magnet a of thelfall' de vice,into contact-with theswitclrarm 7 tobreak the main circuit of the galvanometer atcontact. 9, solthat.anytimevintervali of relatively short sduration may. be measured: anddetermined bydtheikapparatus,directly from-the scaleofthc-galvanom'eter, byncali bratingi the latter v either before or afterthe desired test is made by appropriatelyoperthese two instants,respectively -landthecor respondingbre'akofacircuit; A fall appa ratusof the character described, employing arsmooth iron; ori steeleball: as:the falling.- :ody; was chosengE for the;reason=that .the"dlS-; tance;of .-fall lcorresponding to certain time intervals 1, can Ebe accuratelyi calculatedg f and 35 that for shortz interyalsiinvol edfin thesemeasurements, thei'laiil' resistance-to such :aball; introducesznoappreciable 'BIII'DI. re-T118865 circmnstnncesirenderthe-rfallcapparatus -in-t 1 dependent rotsany. other; 'control z such asa- 40 ;tuning:-f0rk, zf0r examples; .1 s:

that vthe? present invention involves. a simple form of; chronoscope,especially suitedto the measurementsofgrelativelysmall time-intervalsisvithcom-- parativelyl inegligible error, 1 the particular It, willbeseen, therefore;

instrument described being capableof measuring any time intervalsv'arymgfrom 2% seconds. to a 1 very tsmalle fnaction of. a second," theapparatus ,1 including 5 a A I galvanometer with a direct; reading timescale, the-'1nd1-g cations ofthe scalecorresponding' to the intervalsduring which a steady current is permitted to flow through thenstrument; The

. calibration of {the scale depends :upon the known relation betweenthetotal quantity of electricity Whichhas passed through the galvanometer during a givenitime interval, and the lengthof this interval.As a means of adjustment andfcontrol of thegscale read ings, a noveljform of tall apparatus is em: ployed, which actually .measures out t0the chronoscope anytime intervabwdlnn the range of the latter.-. 1

WVhatI claim isz having a scale, of a fall device electrically connectedtherewith for comparing: and calibrating the scale of the galvanometerto give 1 correct time readings.

2. The combination with a galvanometer having a main circuit includingmeans for interrupting the latter, of ashunt to the galvanon'icter, anda fall device including a releasable body adapted to make and break saidshunt and subsequently operate the main circuit interrupting means. 7

3. The combination with a galvanometer having a scale, of a fall devicehaving a di rect reading time scale, and electrical connections betweenthe galvanometer and the fall device for operating the galvanometer;whereby the galvanometcr scale maybe compared With and calibrated-by thefall device to give correct time readings.

4:. The combination with a galvanometer having acscale, of a falldevicehaving a direct reading'time scale andelectrical connections between thegalvanometer and the fall device, including meansfor adjusting theoperative-current, and m'cansfor controlling the flow oithe currentthrough the galvanonieter; whereby tl'ie'galvanmneter' scale may hegraduated and calibrated .to;give' correct time readings. 1, ;5

5. Apparatusfor measur'mg, small time intervals comprising an electriccircuit including a galvanometer having a scale and a shunt to saidgalvanometcr, and an adjust-i able fall device adapted to break:theshunt and main circuits to the galvanometer successirely, tocalibrate the g'alvanometer scale in terms of time intervals. 6.Apparatus for measuring small time intervals comprising an electriccircuit in cluding a galvanometer having a-scale and a shunt to saidgalvanometer, and an adjust- 1 able fall device having a directreadingtime scale and including a fall element. adapted to successively breakthe shunt-and main cir: cuits to the galvanometer-to calibrate thegalvanometer. scale: in terms of; time vintervals. :';=f g i 7.Apparatus for measuring small time intervals comprising an electriccircuit ineluding 'a galvanometerhaving a scale and a shunt tov saidgalvanometer, and an adustable fall device havlng a direct reading timescale and including an electromagnet having a divided core constitutingelements of the shunt to said galvanometer, a ma,,-

netic body adapted to beheld by the core to complete said shunt, and aswitch in the main circuit to said galvanometeradapt'ed to be opened bythe fall of said magnetic body, whereby the scale of the galvanometermay be calibrated in terms. of time intervals corresponding to the timeintervals of the magnetic body in successively breaking the shunt andmain circuits. 1. The combination with a galvanometer 8. A fallapparatus comprising means for simultaneously releasing a body adaptedto fall freely and opening a shunt circuit, and a second means operatedby the falling body for opening a main circuit at the instant the bodyhas fallen through a predetermined with a part upon which said mass isarranged to fall.

11. A fall apparatus comprlslng an electromagnet having a divided core,constituting elements of an electrical circuit, and a metal massarranged to be magnetically held by said core and when thus heldconstituting an element of said circuit a galvanometer connected in saidcircuit with the sections of said core, and means to release said massfrom the poles of said core.

12. A fall apparatus comprising a standard having a scale thereon, anelectromagnet vertically adjustable on said standard and having adivided core constituting elements of an electrical circuit, a metalmass arranged to be magnetically held by said core and w ien thus heldconstituting an element of the said circuit, and another circuit havinga switch carried by said standard and having a part upon which said massis arranged to fall.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PAUL E. KLOPSTEG lVitnesses CLARA DEMAnnsT, BERNICE G. BAUMANN.

